


The Inquisition Needs Boyfriend Cuddles

by caitirin



Series: The Chronicles of Teithranen Lavellan: Plant-Obsessed Soft-Hearted Inquisitor [12]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Absolute fluff, Adorable, Bed head, Cuddling, Cullen is embarrassed, Dorian's sass, Emotional Vulnerability, Fluff, Insecurity, M/M, Pillow Talk, Sharing a Bed, Snuggling, boyfriend shirt, never bet against the inquisitor, sappy romance, soft hearted inquisitors, teithranen lavellan, the inquisitor gets what he wants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-13
Updated: 2018-04-13
Packaged: 2019-04-22 10:10:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14306445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caitirin/pseuds/caitirin
Summary: Dorian slips out of the Inquisitor's bed in the wee hours of the morning in order to avoid scandal.  There's just one problem, the Inquisitor hates waking up alone.----“Someone noticing that the Inquisitor’s lover is staying the night isn’t really going to rank that high.”Dorian frowned.  “I don’t think you really understand just how much damage talk can do.”“I don’t think you understand how much damage I can do.”  Tei said. He crawled over and laid on Dorian’s chest.





	The Inquisition Needs Boyfriend Cuddles

**Author's Note:**

> My Inquisitor's name is Teithranen Lavellan (Tei).
> 
> Huge thanks to my lovely wife for the beta reading!

Tei felt the familiar dip of the bed in the wee hours of the morning.  It was the feeling of Dorian slipping out of bed, thinking he wouldn’t wake Tei as he gathered his clothing and snuck back to his room beneath the library.  This had been going on for weeks now. Ever since Dorian had told him that there was something in his quarters that might interest him.

Tei had been very interested.  Twice in fact. As cheesy as Dorian’s ‘care to inquisit me again’ line had been, Tei was utterly charmed by it.  What hadn’t been charming was the fact that when Tei woke up the next morning and rolled over he was alone in the bed.  There was still a dent in the mattress where Dorian had been. Tei had pressed his face into it and the scent of Dorian was still clinging to the sheets.  It was an enticing blend of leather and some kind of warming spice that reminded Tei a little bit of Ember Root. It had been disappointing, but not all that unexpected given the anxieties Dorian had expressed when they’d spoken.  Tei found it easy to tell Dorian that he wanted more out of their relationship than just a tumble into bed and Dorian had seemed surprised but pleased to hear it. 

Dorian was the first human Tei had ever been with so he wasn’t entirely certain how humans did this with relationships, and either way he could guess that one with Dorian probably wouldn’t move along the same lines of other ones, but they could figure it out as they went.

Tei fumbled around with his eyes shut and grabbed hold of Dorian’s arm before he could get out of bed.

“I didn’t mean to wake you, Amatus.”  Dorian stopped.

“Mmh.”  Tei curled closer to Dorian, wrapping his arms around to to trap him in bed. 

Dorian brushed hair out of Tei’s face.  “I should go. It’ll be light soon.”

Tei opened his eyes.  “Don’t. Stay.”

Dorian hesitated.  “It’s probably not a great idea.”

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but very little that happens around here is a great idea.  Giant holes in the sky, templars with red lyrium growing out of them, ancient evil darkspawn,”  Tei said as he rubbed sleep from his eyes. “Someone noticing that the Inquisitor’s lover is staying the night isn’t really going to rank that high.”

Dorian frowned.  “I don’t think you really understand just how much damage talk can do.”

“I don’t think you understand how much damage I can do.”  Tei said. He crawled over and laid on Dorian’s chest. 

“I won’t be the thing that undermines the Inquisition.  It doesn’t have to be anyone else’s affair but ours. I don’t mind...”  Dorian trailed off. He brushed his fingers over Tei’s cheekbones, tracing the Vallaslin markings.  

“Well, I do.  I’m not opposed to us exercising a little discretion, but I’m not going to sneak around and pretend that you’re not important to me.” Tei turned his face to nuzzle into Dorian’s palm.  “That wouldn’t be fair to either of us.”

Dorian didn’t know what to say.  This was so far outside his realm of experience of anything before.  He tweaked Tei’s nose. “Cassandra will have a fit.”

“Cassandra will come around.”  Tei wrinkled his nose and swatted Dorian’s hand away.  He laid his head down on Dorian’s chest so he could hear his heartbeat.  “Besides, I don’t like waking up alone when I didn’t go to bed alone. It doesn’t feel good.”

There was a quietness to Tei’s voice as he spoke that last phrase.  Dorian cupped Tei’s chin and brought his face up so that he could kiss him.  “Tell me what’s on your mind, Amatus.”

Tei cast his eyes down.  “It’s just... I don’t want to lay all this on you, it feels manipulative and unfair.”

“Considering you’re already laying on me I think I can handle it. Lay it out.”  Dorian stroked his fingers through Tei’s hair, something he knew that Tei really liked.

“You’re going to think less of me.”  

Dorian smiled sadly at the melancholy elf laying on his chest.  “You saw that whole embarrassing  _ spectacle  _ with my father and didn’t think less of me.  I cannot imagine how you’d think I would extend anything less to you.”  Dorian caught Tei’s eye and grinned. “Wait, unless... are you about to confess that you Dalish really do eat babies?”

Tei rolled his eyes and made an annoyed sound.  “It’s not the same. You  _ were  _ brave. You chose to do this.  To live in your own terms. I’m just some freak accident of timing and bad luck.  I’m not brave.”

Dorian actually sputtered.  “Are you hearing yourself? This from the man who stood and faced a darkspawn magister at Haven so hundreds of people, myself included, could escape? Who literally mends rips in the fabric of reality with a wave of his hand?  The man who leads the entire Inquisition in saving the world? If you don’t think that’s brave I don’t know what is!”

“I only did those things because I didn’t have a choice.  And maybe it looks brave, but I spend every minute just wanting to go home.  I’m scared all the time just waiting for it all to fall apart because they have this  _ insane _ idea that I can be the leader the Inquisition needs.  I couldn’t even hold up that gigantic sword, Cassandra had to stand right behind me and keep my arm from shaking.  I hate that sword. I’m a mage for crying out loud, what the hell do I know about swords?”

Dorian was quiet, just letting Tei say everything that he needed to.  When he was finished Dorian responded. “So, you think I’m going to think less of you because you’re afraid of failing everyone?”

Tei’s eyes were a little misty as he looked up at Dorian.  “I don’t know what to think anymore.”

Dorian thumbed the tears from Tei’s cheeks when they fell.  “Amatus, if you weren’t afraid I’d be more concerned. Any good leader is.”  Dorian smiled. “Besides, my entire country thinks that I am a massive failure, and take it from me, it’s not as bad as everyone says.  Also, you have all your advisors around you making sure that you’re not going to fail. Everyone falters, it’s about who you’ve got around you to keep you on your feet.”  Dorian paused. “And listen to that, I’m being incredibly thoughtful and brilliant and the sun isn’t even up. You’ve also got me.”

“You say that, but you keep sneaking away when I need you the most.”  Tei said without meeting Dorian’s eyes. 

Dorian winced.  “I just didn’t want to make things more difficult for you.”

Tei’s voice faltered, but he continued.  “When I was little I slept in the same bed with my brother, always.  Even when we were older we slept side by side. Everyone did. All of us kids would sleep piled together around the campfires or crammed into the aravels.  You were always getting kicked or rolled over on.” 

“Now, that sounds perfectly awful to me, but I’m getting the impression you feel differently.” Dorian had no idea where Tei was going with this.  “And I can’t say that I completely understand, seeing as I cannot imagine actually wanting to be around one's own family that much, but I know they’re important to you.”

“ It feels so childish... but before the Conclave I’d never slept alone.”  Tei buried his face in Dorian’s chest to hide his embarrassment. It sounded even more childish spoken aloud than in his head. “And the first time that I woke up completely by myself was in that cell with the mark on my hand.  I’m not saying that you need to be here every single day. But when I go to sleep and you’re here and I wake up and you’re not...”

“I understand.”  Dorian pressed a kiss to the top of Tei’s head.  The pre-dawn light was just beginning to filter through the room, making it possible to see things a little bit more clearly.

Tei closed his eyes.  “It’s just that having you here makes it better, the times I’m with you are the only times since all this started that I don’t feel so homesick.”

“Well, I guess that settles it.  You’re the Inquisitor, and the Inquisitor should get whatever he wants.”  

“And since that happens exactly nowhere else I can at least have it in my own bedroom?”  Tei pulled the blankets more securely around them both.

Dorian slid Tei off his chest so that he could roll over and face him.  “I believe that I told you this once before. I am gotten.” He kissed Tei lingeringly in the faint light.

Tei sighed, relieved, and melted into the kiss, taking the time to press even closer to Dorian.

Dorian looked him over.  “You’re just lucky that I couldn’t see you in the dark.  Because we’d never be able to have such a serious discussion when I could see the disaster that is your hair at the moment.”

Tei pushed a hand back through his hair.  It was unruly at the best of times, and after having been slept on, the best comparison was something of a cross between a very wooly lamb and a stubborn hedgehog.  “I cannot believe you’re taking advantage of my vulnerability to make fun of my hair. I don’t know if you’ve seen your own hair, but it’s pretty ridiculous too.” Tei sulked.  “No one complained about it back home.”

“That’s probably because they could never see it under all the dirt and leaves.”

“I’ve changed my mind. Get out, go and take your walk of shame across the courtyard.”  Tei shoved him playfully.

“It’s called the stride of pride and I always cut through the great hall, never outside. It’s far too cold here,”  Dorian retorted smugly.

Tei closed his eyes and sighed contentedly.  “Poor Cullen’s certainly going to be in for a surprise the next time he brings me a war table update at the crack of dawn.”

“I do hope this doesn’t mean that you expect me to be dressed.”  Dorian absently ran his fingers down the warm skin of Tei’s back.

Tei laughed and stretched like a recently woken cat.  “I wouldn’t dream of it.” He kissed the underside of Dorian’s chin feeling the slight stubble that had grown there since Dorian shaved yesterday morning.  “Last chance, are you sure you don’t want to take the chance to get out of here for someone who isn’t such a childish idiot?”

Dorian snorted.  “I think you mean brave idiot.”

Tei stuck his tongue out.  “I like how you kept the ‘idiot’ part.”

Dorian mussed Tei’s hair.  “Someone’s got to make sure you’re in fighting condition, and since that’s definitely not me, I’ll settle for keeping the leaves out of your hair.”

Tei was about to respond when there was a knock at his door.

“Inquisitor?”  It was Cullen’s voice.  He started up the stairs.  “There are a few matters that require your attention.”

“Well that was fast,”  Dorian said. “I suppose I could wrap up and hide in your closet.”

“Don’t you dare.”  Tei hauled the blankets further up as he hunted around for some clothing.

“Fifty silver says he is hideously embarrassed, secretly turned on, and runs back down the stairs,”  Dorian whispered.

“Fifty silver says he’s a gentleman and apologizes. Besides, how could we tell if he was  _ secretly _ turned on?”  Tei snatched up a tunic from the floor and pulled it on over his head and turned to face the stairs.  He made sure they were both covered before Cullen reached the top of the stairs.

“Inqu-”  Cullen stopped dead in his tracks and stared blinking at the Inquisitor and Dorian.  He cleared his throat. “Actually, I believe these reports can wait.” He nodded, as his cheeks reddened.  “Forgive the intrusion.” He inclined his head. “Inquisitor, Ser Dorian.” He turned around and walked perhaps a little too quickly down the stairs.

Tei and Dorian waited until they heard the door close and then burst into laughter.  Tei nearly slipped off the bed. He wiped laughter induced tears from his eyes. “You owe me fifty silver!”

Dorian hauled Tei back into bed.  “Alas, I don’t seem to have it on me, perhaps I can convince you take it it out of me in trade.”

Tei kissed him.  “I might be amenable to some kind of exchange.”

“Or...”  Dorian returned the kiss.  “I could just let you keep that shirt, which is mine, by the way, which cost more than fifty silver and we’ll call it even.”

Tei looked down at the shirt.  “Huh, so it is.” He lifted the front of the shirt and breathed in the familiar scent of Dorian.  “Since I’m the Inquisitor and we’ve established that I can have what I want in this room, I think I’ll have both.”

Dorian laughed.  “You are glorious.”  

Tei got to keep the shirt and the rest of his illicit winnings, but made a mental note not to bet against Dorian all that often in the future.  What he’d already won was plenty.

 


End file.
